Remember
by SingBenihime
Summary: Sometime when life looks to be at its grimmest, there's a light hidden at the heart of things. Ukitake remembers his life with Shunsui at the time of one of his major TB attacks.


Blood spattered onto the white sheets, and down his lips. Blurry figures leaned over him and adjusted various objects attached to his body. His brown, cloudy eyes were slowly closing.

"_Are you okay?"_

_No response._

"_You look ill"_

_Silence._

"_I'm Shunsui Kyoraku. Who are you?"_

_Jyuushirou looked up into the dark brown eyes of the small, brunette boy who was leaning above him. The boy who was asking him if he was alright. The first person to ask if he was alright since his parents had died._

_Jyuushirou gave a small, brave grin and wiped a trickle of blood off his pale lips with his raggedy sleeve. He held out his hand._

"_I'm Jyuushirou Ukitake. Nice to meet you"_

"Jyuu! JYUU! WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE!" shouted a distant voice. Ukitake used the last of his energy to open his eyes, unclench his fists and let a small, faint smile play upon his face. He felt a large, strong hand grasp his tightly and he gazed up into his best friend's eyes.

"_Jyuu, why do you have white hair?"_

"_Because of my condition"_

"_What condition?"_

"_It's an illness"_

"_What it is?"_

"_It's called consumption in the real world"_

"_I've never heard of it"_

"_Really…"_

"_Is it fatal?"_

"_I might die, yes"_

_Shunsui looked at his friend's sad face and realized it was a precarious topic. Even at the age of 80 (Or 8 in the real world), Shunsui had an eye for seeing the truth and goodness behind things._

_Thus, he changed the subject._

"_I think you're my best friend, Jyuu"_

"_I think you're mine too" replied Jyuushirou, smiling slightly. Shunsui grinned, encouraged by this small sign of happiness, and said "Nope. You're definitely my best friend. And I'm definitely yours, right?"_

"_Right!"_

"Don't leave" murmured Shunsui, a silent tear trickling down his cheek.

_Jyuushirou bit his lip as he saw Shunsui walk up the steps to his house solemnly. _

"_Here's your dinner" said Jyuushirou, as he hurriedly shoved bowls of rice at his 7 younger siblings, whom he had to take care of ever since his parents had been killed by the hollow, "I'll be back in a minute, okay?"_

_He rushed out of the front door and looked down at his best friend, who was sitting on the steps and picking blades of grass._

"_What's wrong Shun?"_

_When there was no reply, Jyuushirou grew even more worried; for he had never seen Shunsui so silent, so somber, so sad…_

"_I HATE MY PARENTS!" shouted Shunsui suddenly. He grabbed a hunk of grass and tore it up, before throwing them into the air angrily. Jyuushirou recoiled slightly, but then mentally shouted at himself for being so scared when his friend was so sad and in need of him._

"_What have they done?" questioned Jyuushirou, as he sat down and wrapped his arm around Shunsui. _

"_They're forcing me to go to the Shinigami Academy. Because of honor or something. But I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you!" said Shunsui, wiping away angry tears that were streaming down his face. _

_Jyuushirou thought for a moment before saying quietly "Well, why don't we go together?"_

_Shunsui looked up._

"_If they're making you go, I want to go too"_

"_Jyuu…" whispered Shunsui incredulously, "What about your family? My family's rich and stuff, so they can afford to live without me, but, no offence, you're the sole guardian for 7 kids…"_

"_But if we get to the top, I can be a better guardian. And I don't care what you say; remember we said we'd always stick by each other?"_

_Both boys nodded and giggled. _

"_Thanks Jyuu" whispered Shunsui, "Now I'm kind of looking forward to this"_

"I w-won't" replied Ukitake. He gave a sudden gasp and whispered "Don't l-let go…"

"_We did it Jyuu! We got into the 8__th__ and 13__th__ divisions!" shouted Shunsui gleefully. Jyuushirou laughed and joined his best friend in running around in circles and whooping joyfully._

"_I mean" continued Shunsui, "it's bad that we're in separate divisions, but still! We're official Shinigami now! I think this calls for a celebration!" _

_Jyuushirou chuckled uncertainly as his friend brought 3 bottles of sake out from his bag._

"_Shun, you know I've never drunk in my entire life. I don't like it" said Jyuushirou nervously as a bottle was shoved in his face._

"_Oh c'mon Jyuu! It's a celebration! Drink!" insisted Shunsui. Jyuushirou gave a anxious smile and unscrewed the lid. He took a small sip, decided it was okay-ish, and took a large gulp. Shunsui laughed and started drinking his own bottle._

_Half an hour later, they were both completely and utterly sloshed, dancing around, yelling "Don't let go! Don't let go" as they played a strange game where there was no rules and something to do with a crocodile and a cliff._

Shunsui smiled and wrapped his arms around the fragile Captain.

"_Jyuu? Are you in there?" shouted Shunsui as he opened the door to the 13__th__ division's captain's room. He gasped and bit his lip at the sight that had befallen him: Jyuushirou was on his back on the ground, hacking viciously on his own blood. His face was ashen-white and his snowy hair was dark red at the tips. Everything around the ailing captain was crimson, and Shunsui knew at once something was wrong; Jyuushirou was worse than usual._

_Shunsui rushed to his friend, lifted up his chin and picked him up bride-style, before flash stepping rapidly to the 4__th__ division._

"T-that's even b-better" whispered Ukitake.

_Blood spattered onto the white sheets, and down his lips. Blurry figures leaned over him and adjusted various objects attached to his body. His brown, cloudy eyes were slowly closing._

"_Jyuu! JYUU! WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE!" shouted a distant voice. Ukitake used the last of his energy to open his eyes, unclench his fists and let a small, faint smile play upon his face. He felt a large, strong hand grasp his tightly and he gazed up into his best friend's eyes._

"_Don't leave" murmured Shunsui, a silent tear trickling down his cheek._

"_I w-won't" replied Ukitake. He gave a sudden gasp and whispered "Don't l-let go…"_

_Shunsui smiled and wrapped his arms around the fragile Captain_

"_T-that's even b-better" whispered Ukitake._

Shunsui smiled and tightened his grip on his dying friend.


End file.
